(1) Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a system and method for lifting, or elevating, bulk-sized, heavy weight objects, such as buildings, skids, chemical plant modules, refinery modules, storage facilities, and the like.
(2) Brief Description of the Prior Art
Bulk sized, or extremely high weight objects include power generator stations, pre-fabricated and other buildings, water and sewage treatment facilities, chemical plant modules, refinery modules, and the like. These objects may be several stories high and/or weigh tens, or even hundreds of tons. Most, but not all, of these facilities are built to be used at one location for a specified amount of time, and then transported, either by barge, ship, truck, rail to another, often remote, location. Some of these objects are fabricated on or of metal or other frameworks, to better enable transportation from one location to another. Most of these facilities or objects are designed to be placed very close to or on cement, asphalt or other surfaces at or near ground level. Some of these facilities or objects are also positioned on a foundation of cinder blocks or concrete bases spaced intermittently or solidly under the facility or at corners, such that the facility rests very close to ground level. As used herein, “bulk-sized or extremely high weight objects” refers to such constructions.
When it is desired to move such a facility or object from one location to another, the facility must be raised above the ground a certain height in order to enable a truck trailer or other transport device to be moved under the facility. Thereafter, the facility is lowered, slowly, onto the transport device or trailer framework and is then transported intact to the desired location. Typically, conventional jacks, designed to raise large or heavy objects are used. A number of these jacks are typically placed around the lower framework or body of the object, as well at the corners thereof. These conventional jacks are hydraulically actuated and have a plate or other body at the top or distal end of the piston which is selectively placed in position under the object to be moved. Because the telescoping expansion stroke of the piston is comparatively short, and certainly shorter than the required distance or height required to raise the object in order to move the transporting equipment or machinery under it, these piston jacks must first be activated to the maximum expanded position, then large, concrete, wood or similar blocks are placed under the object. Thereafter, similar concrete or similar blocks are stacked below the object or facility to be moved, and the piston jacks retracted and placed on these stacks. This procedure is then repeated until the facility or object is raised a sufficient height to enable the transport equipment or vehicle to be moved under the object. The object is then lowered onto the transporting vehicle or device by telescopically contracting the piston of the jacks to slowly, and carefully, place the object on the bed or similar means of the vehicle or transport device or mechanism.
The total height or distance required to lift these object from their location on or near ground level to the height required to enable the transporting equipment to be positioned under the object may be from about four feet to as much as about six feet.
These piston jack assemblies typically are hydraulically controlled so that they are in concert in raising the object such that the object constantly remains in one horizontal plane as it is raised vertically. Alternatively, but not preferably, these piston jacks may be operated manually, and separately.
As will be appreciated, this technique is not only cumbersome, but is time consuming, and slow. This technique also may require considerable man power in placing and operating the piston jacks, as well as the placement and removal of the stacks of cylinder or cement or wood blocks.
The present invention is directed at remedying many of the disadvantages of this and similar techniques.